Doing the right things
by Judroozz
Summary: When Violet comes back, Addison thinks she's doing the right thing by leaving Pete so they can be together, but what if that's not what Pete was planning? at all? Set after 3x18 and the promo for 3x19
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my new story.:) It's set after 3x18 and the promo for 3x19 kind of inspired me. It's AU from then on. The italics are flashbacks.**

**Summary: When Violet comes back, Addison thinks she's doing the right thing by leaving Pete so they can be together, but what if that's not what Pete was planning, at all?**

**I hope you enjoy and please review!**

~Addison's POV~

She had done the right thing, she was sure of that. She had had good reasons at the moment, very logical reasons… She was the mother of his child, the woman he loved… They belonged together, and now they finally could. They deserved to be together, especially after all that they'd both been through. Who was she to stand in the way? She was just a stand-in, someone who could give Lucas the love his mother couldn't at the time. But Violet had showed up at Pete's door, totally unexpected, and that had been a sign that she was ready to have her family back. A sign for her to leave.

Yes, it would hurt to see them with another woman, to know she would not be able to be around them anymore, to not kiss Pete when she wanted and hug Lucas whenever she liked. They had been a little family for the past couple of weeks, but she had known this would come eventually, and so she had known the little family thing was only temporary, it wasn't real. She was only a replacement, a second choice, she had been since the beginning and nothing had been able to change that.

She had known, she had been trying to prepare herself for the heartbreak she had known was going to come, but it hadn't been enough, it never was. She was sad, oh so sad. It was worse than she had imagined, worse than she had expected. She had once again gotten in too deep, not thinking enough about the consequences, or maybe not caring. Her life had been quite a mess for the last couple of months… with her parents showing up, and Sam wanting to be with her and hurt Naomi in the progress… Pete had made her forget about those things, he had made her smile a genuine smile, not a forced or non-happy one. And that, she realized, had been something very special and rare, not only for the past couple of months, but for the last couple of years…

It was hard to take care of herself, no matter what she did, she always failed at it. She was too fucked up to succeed at that, it was much easier to take care of others, to make others happy, because then, she wouldn't have to worry about herself. She could worry about others and solve their problems, so that was what she did, that was what she always did, and that was what she had done this time…

_She was lying in Pete's arms with Lucas in her lap when the doorbell rang. Pete groaned and stood up after softly pushing his lips against her forehead for a moment. When she heard him open the door but not say anything she stood up and walked towards to door to see who it was._

"_Violet..." Pete said, just as she appeared behind him. She could hear he was taken aback and didn't know what to do. That was the moment she knew her little family was over, it was gone._

_Violet looked from Pete to Addison, and from Addison back to Pete. She looked into his eyes before looking back at Addison and taking in her comfortable clothing and the little boy in her arms._

_She blinked a couple of times before looking back at Pete."I should go…" She said, before quickly turning around and walking away, leaving them to stare after her as she disappeared into the dark night._

_Pete closed the door and turned around, guilt visible in his eyes. He was about to say something when she spoke, rocking Lucas in her arms. "Pete, you should go after her."_

_He frowned. "What?"_

"_Just tell her I was here because you thought Lucas might be sick, that I was just here to help. Just go…" She said._

_He raised his eyebrows. "What? No, I…"_

"_She was _here_, at your _door_, just a few minutes ago, planning on talking things out, you should go after her and do that. She's the mother of your _child_…" She interrupted him, looking at him as she spoke, feeling Lucas wrap his small arms around her neck and lean against her chest. "She's the woman you _love_."_

_He shook his head. "I don't have to talk anything out with her, things are okay as they are."_

"_No, they're not. You should give her a chance." She said, and looked down at the little boy in her arms that had fallen asleep. "And I should go."_

_He raised his eyebrows. "Why?"_

_She sighed. "Come on, Pete. We both knew this couldn't go on forever. She's back now and she wants another chance, you love her and you know it." She said, handing Lucas to a dumbfounded Pete and grabbing her purse and coat._

"_So what? We're just over? You're just gonna leave?" Pete asked as she walked towards the door, his voice rising._

"_I'm sorry, Pete." She said as she opened the door. "But I have to, it's the best thing to do." And with that she walked away, leaving Pete to stare after her._

_She unlocked her car and opened the door, looking back one more time. He was standing in the doorway, looking at her as she slid into the driver's seat and started her car. She didn't want to leave, she didn't want to be away from him, but she had to. For Violet, for Lucas, for him… He would be thankful later, it would just take a while. She drove away, the tears burning behind her eyes, not allowing them to fall. She wasn't going to cry over him, she wasn't going to miss him, because they hadn't been in love, they hadn't been a real couple and they hadn't had a future together, she didn't have a right to cry, because he wasn't hers._

So there she was, in her car, not knowing what to do. She didn't want to go home, it would feel empty, wrong. There were toys and clothes that weren't hers, she didn't want to go home, because going home meant seeing those things, it meant crying over him, and she couldn't do that.

She found herself turning left and before she knew it she was in front of a familiar building. She got out of her car and walked towards the door, quickly opening it and slipping inside, hoping he wasn't on a date or something. She walked up the stairs and walked down the hallway, stopping in front of the apartment where she wanted to be. She knocked on the door and waited, hoping he was home, without a cheap girl from the internet. She heard some stumbling and finally, the door opened, revealing a very sleepy Cooper.

She let out a sigh of relief. "Coop. I'm so glad you're home… I'm sorry it's so late, but Naomi won't talk to me, and I can't… go to Sam… or Violet… and, so, you… Violet… she's…" She rambled, not able to calm herself down.

He nodded. "Back. I know." He said, stepping forward and putting an arm around her, pulling her inside. She had never been more thankful for having him as a friend and suddenly realized that Cooper was being underrated. He was always there, for everyone, and he never complained. He let everybody whine to him about their problems and irritations and he would listen, he would understand.

"She… she came to his house…" She said, sitting down on his couch and letting her head rest in her hands. "She saw me… with Lucas – I was holding him and I couldn't say anything… She just left after that…" She said, her voice desperate.

Cooper sat down next to her and put his hand soothingly on her back. "How did Pete react?" He asked.

Addison looked up at him. "Weird… He didn't do anything… He just looked at her until she walked away and then closed the door again…"

Cooper frowned. "Then what happened that made you come here in the middle of the night?" He asked, curious what had made her so upset.

"I-I told him to go after her… I kinda left him…" She said, pushing a string of red hair out of her face. "And the stupidest thing is that I didn't want to leave him, I didn't want 'us' – whatever it was – to be over…"

He just looked at her, trying to comprehend everything she had just told him. "Then why did you leave?" He asked softly after they had been quiet for a while.

She snorted. "Because it was the right thing to do." She said, as if it was the most logical thing in the world. "They love each other, Lucas is _their _child, I can't stand in the way of that…"

He shook his head. "When will you start taking care of yourself instead of worrying about others?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her against him.

She snorted again and leaned against his chest. "I don't know… never? I'm too screwed up to be happy, I don't deserve 'happy' anymore… I cheated on my husband with his best friend, I hurt my _own _best friend by falling in love with her ex-husband and I slept multiple times with Pete, while he is the father of Violet's child and she loves him… I'm a horrible person, I don't deserve someone to save me." She said with a sad voice, actually believing herself.

"Don't say that." Cooper said, rubbing her arm soothingly. "It's so not true! Of course you deserve 'happy'! Everybody does! _You, _are the most unselfish person I know!"

She let out a bitter chuckle. "Yeah, right. How am I not selfish? I cheated on my husband while I know it'll hurt him, I fall in love with my best friend's ex-husband and I hurt Naomi, I start a fake family with Pete and I hurt Violet. I hurt everyone, that's one of the most selfish things a person can possibly do!"

Cooper raised his eyebrows and pulled away so he could look at her. "Listen to me. _You _are the _opposite _of selfish. _Yes_, you cheated on your husband, but it was his own stupid fault, because he didn't pay enough attention to his beautiful and amazing wife. _Yes_, you fell in love with you best friend's ex-husband, but you kept yourself and him from acting on it because you found your friendship with Naomi and her feelings more important. _Yes_, you were together with Pete, but he's a free man and last time I checked, Violet didn't want him. You don't _hurt _people, you try to _keep_ them from hurting, you try to protect them… but when you care about others as much as _you_ do, you forget one _very_ important thing in your life. _Yourself._ By trying to not hurt _others_, you hurt _yourself_ even more!"

She sniffled and gave him a weak smile. "Thanks, Coop." She said, her eyes watery and her voice trembling.

He smiled at her. "You will be okay, I'm sure of that. You're too strong to not get through this."

She chuckled and nodded. "You're right, I'm a Montgomery," She said, "and a Montgomery doesn't let anything or anyone bring her down. Tomorrow, I will go to work and be strong, I will just make sure I don't walk into Violet, or Pete." She said, determined and strong. "Or Sam or Naomi…" she added, grimacing when she realized how many people that were.

Cooper seemed to notice because he quickly grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "You _can _do it, it's _not _your fault!"

"It's not?" She said, looking at him with a look of slight panic on her face.

He raised one of his eyebrows at her. "No, it's not. Now, come on, you can stay the night." He said as he got off the couch and pulled her with him, bringing her to his guest room.

As she felt his soothing arm around her, she couldn't help but think it felt different. She was used to Pete's arm wrapped around her, she was used to having Pete take care of her and hear _his _low soothing voice in her ear, telling her those kind of things… But she knew that wasn't going to happen anymore, and that was enough to let a tear roll down her cheeks, and as she lay down on the bed, she found herself crying over him anyway. They might not have been a couple, but they had sure felt that way.

**So, this was the first chapter. Please let me know what your thoughts are!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here's chapter 2, finally! I'm really sorry I took so long but I was so busy and I've had exchange students in my home for half a week, but here it is.:)**

**I'll try to upload the chapters from 'Behind the pokerface' and 'Fighting for you' before Wednesday, because I'll be gone for half a week then, but well, you'll see.:P**

**Have fun and, of course, review!:)**

Why did she always do that? Why did she always have to take care of others before taking care of herself? He knew that was just how she was and he loved her for it – yes, he just admitted he loved her, but that was old news, actually – but he was a grown man, capable of making his own decisions. He had already known whom he was going to choose, he had known long before Violet had shown up. He had known the moment Addison had told him that maybeshe could be in love with him too. He had known that the woman for whom he had fallen for so easily two years ago had gotten him falling for her again even harder. He loved her and he was ready to have a family with her. He had gotten a small glimpse of how that would be and he had loved it. Now she just had to let him talk to her long enough to tell her just that, because she had to know, she had to know he chose _her_, _not _Violet.

He didn't know how he had fallen for her so fast again… after he had stood her up – which he had always regretted – they had become close friends and he had even been the one she would tell about her problems with men – though he hadn't always liked it. Maybe he had been jealous of the men that had been able to be in a relationship with Addison Montgomery. Maybe he had just been a protective friend. All he knew was that he hadn't liked any of them. Not the cop, not the arrogant doctor from the floor he now worked on, not the married guy… It was not that she had dated a lot of men – because she hadn't, at least, not in the time she had been in LA. It was just that they hadn't screwed up their chance with her, and because of that, they had obtained everything he had wanted and not gotten; being with _her._

Now that he finally had her, he wasn't going to screw it up or throw it away, it had only been about two or three months since they had first slept together and now he already knew for sure he loved her. Before he had met her, he had been sure that was impossible, so now that he knew it could happen, he would do everything to keep it. He didn't know how, he just knew she was the most amazing woman he had ever met and she made him smile the biggest grin possible. She was just special.

She had been the first woman he had dared fall for since Anna, and she had been the first woman – besides Violet, since she had been his shrink – he had told about Anna. She had been the first light after the dark because her smile lit up the whole room. She had been the one who had made him so happy he had forgotten about the sad periods in his life. She had made him forgive Anna, because there wasn't anything to be mad about anymore. She was the woman that had changed his life just by walking into it and he wanted her back, because he couldn't imagine his life without her.

But he knew her, and he knew how stubborn she could be. He knew that she wouldn't listen to him. He had to find a way to talk to her, a way to get around the protective walls she had probably already built up around her.

He suddenly realized he had arrived at work and parked his car, getting out and locking it before walking towards the building. He tried to ignore the little bit of hope he had of seeing her when he would walk into the building, knowing it wouldn't happen.

To his surprise he did see her, but he only got a glimpse, because when he walked into the building a familiar flash of red caught his attention and just as he looked her way, he saw the doors of the elevator starting to close. He wanted to sprint to the elevator and yell 'hold the doors', but he knew he didn't have to. He wouldn't make it on time and she wouldn't hold the doors, he _knew_ she wouldn't.

He couldn't understand how she could give _that_ up. _Them. _The knowing exactly how someone would react or how someone would deal with something in a certain situation. The knowing almost everything about the other person and loving him or her even more because of that. The special feeling one got when seeing the other person. The feeling only that one other person could give you. She was that other person for him and he had thought he was that for her too.

He knew the cute and personal things; like the sound she would make when she turned around in her sleep or how she actually really couldn't cook. Those were the things only someone you are very intimate with knows and he had been that someone for her. He loved her despite her flaws – which she didn't even have according to him. How could she throw all that away; being the family she had always wanted, having someone that knows you through and through and that you can tell everything without having to be afraid of what he or she might think. That was what they had had and what she had thrown away so easily. That was what he couldn't live without anymore.

He sighed and slowly walked towards the elevator, pushing the button and staring off into space. He knew she had seen him, he knew because she had quickly looked down, a pained expression on her face. And he had stared at her like an idiot, because he had never been able to keep his eyes off her and he couldn't look at her whenever he wanted anymore. No matter how much he wanted her back, it would take time to get her to realize they _could _be together, because she still thought he loved Violet instead of her. Even if he could convince her he loved _her_, she would still feel guilty because of Violet. He _would _convince her, though, he _had_ to.

The elevator finally arrived and he got in the little cabin, pushing the button for the third floor. He looked up when he heard footsteps and immediately regretted it as he saw the one woman he actually didn't want to see. _Violet._ It wasn't that he hated her, he just wasn't ready. He needed Addison back first, because she was the one that kept him from going crazy, she was the one that kept him going. She would be the one that would make him strong enough to confront Violet.

Violet stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed him and he quickly broke eye contact when he saw the look in her eyes, cursing the elevator for being so slow. He needed to get out of there. He needed to get out of that _very _uncomfortable situation.

The doors eventually closed and he let out a sigh of relief, thanking the doors for finally saving him. He suddenly realized that he hadn't even thought about Violet until he had seen her, which made him even surer; he was _over _Violet. All he had been thinking about since last night's events was Addison. At first he had been shocked, not able to believe she had really done that. When the shock finally wore off, he had gotten mad, he had gotten furious. If he hadn't had Lucas in his arms, he would've punched the wall. He hadn't been mad for very long – which was strange, actually – because he had known it wouldn't help. He wouldn't get Addison back by being mad; it would only drive her further away. Then, when he wasn't that mad anymore, he realized she was really gone, and he got immensely sad. He hadn't been able to sleep much, he had just thought about her, about how happy they had been, and how he was going to get that back.

And now, however, he was still sad, but there was also confusion. He _couldn't _understand _why._ _Why _couldn't they talk about it before she ran off? _Why _couldn't she give him a chance to say something? _Why _did Violet have to come back and suddenly want to be a family? _Why _had he not told Addison he loved her? _Why _was Addison so sure he _didn't_?

When the doors opened, he stepped out. Picking up his patients' files for the day at the receptionist's desk he walked towards his office, noticing Sheldon had asked him for a consult. He sighed, not looking forward to it at all. He would just go by later, all he wanted to do now was go to his office and think.

He walked into his office and sat down behind his desk, staring at the picture on his desk that showed the three of them together, a little family. They looked so happy, with twinkling eyes and enormous smiles on their faces.

_Mommy's smile._

Yeah, Lucas' smile kind of looked like Addison's… It had freaked her out, but it had been even better after that. She had been and always would be more of a mother to Lucas than Violet, because she had witnessed all the important firsts. His first smile, his first word, his first step…

He sighed, this definitely wasn't helping. He needed to do something… the problem was that his first patient wasn't until ten, so he still had an hour to kill. He decided he'd go to Sheldon to get him to fill him in on his patient, since he had nothing else to do and he would just think about Addison when he would wait in his office.

He got up from behind his desk and walked out of his office towards Sheldon's. Not expecting anyone to be there except for Sheldon; he just opened the door without knocking and walked in, not noticing the other person until he was already talking.

"Hey, Sheldon. Do you have…" He started, but trailed off when he saw who was sitting on Sheldon's couch. _Addison._ She didn't look very happy to see him, but at least now he could look at her without doors preventing him from doing so. He studied her face and instantly knew she hadn't slept well either. He could see the hurt in her eyes and wanted to do nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and comfort her, but he couldn't do that anymore, she wouldn't let him.

"Addison…" He started, trailing off. He didn't know _what _to say. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, if they could talk… he wanted to ask, say, so much. He looked into her eyes, looking for answers, not finding them. What he saw was sadness, and it killed him, but it also showed him that she cared, that this wasn't how she wanted it to be, and that gave him hope.

"Pete…" she spoke quietly, staring into his eyes before snapping out of her trance. She quickly got up and avoided his eyes. "I have to… go." She pointed to the door and gave Sheldon a small smile before she quickly walked towards the door.

When she had gone, Pete looked at Sheldon. "What do you know?" he demanded, trying to sound not too eager.

Sheldon looked around nervously. "I… she didn't tell me much…" he responded.

"What did she tell you about us? About how she feels?" Pete asked, looking at him pleadingly. "I know you have patient confidentiality, but just tell me _why."_ He continued when he didn't get an answer.

Sheldon sighed. "Violet loves you, Violet is Lucas' mother, you love Violet…" he summed up, as if he was telling him what he had eaten the day before. "Addison… She can't be the one to stand in the way of other people's happiness, she just can't. She will not let herself do that because she won't be able to live with it," he added.

"Yeah, I know." He smiled a dreamy smile at the thought of her.

Sheldon smiled back when he noticed. He then voiced a question that he was sure had already been on Pete's mind for a while. "Do you still love Violet?" he asked, when secretly, he was actually asking 'Do you love Addison?'

Pete looked at him for a while. "I don't know… I think I'll always love her, you know. I mean, she's the mother of my child… But – since you _actually _want to know if I love Addison" He gave Sheldon a knowing look. "I don't love her the way I love Addison, not anymore. Addison… she's different, she's more," he responded, making Sheldon smile a surprised smile.

He nodded appreciatively at him. "Good…"

Pete gave him a small smile, one that slowly made place for a serious expression. "But she thinks I don't… she thinks I still love Violet, but I don't understand _why_..." He started, but stopped when he saw a look of realization cross Sheldon's face. "What do you know?"

Sheldon looked at him for a moment and then sighed, looking defeated. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, so…"

"I won't tell her, just…" _tell me._

Sheldon nodded. "Okay, good… Okay, so when you were both sick a couple of weeks ago, you told her something that kind of… stayed with her…"

Pete frowned. "How do you mean, 'stayed with her'? What did I say?"

Sheldon hesitated for a moment. "You probably don't remember…" He started, not really wanting to continue. Pete however just looked at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence. "You said 'I love you, _Violet'_ to her." Sheldon finally finished.

Pete raised his eyebrows. "So that's why…" he trailed off, not able to finish his sentence.

Sheldon nodded. "Yeah."

"I… I need to go… think," he told him, walking out of the door.

He stormed into his office, sliding into his chair and sighing deeply. _How _could he have been so _stupid? Now _he understood. _Now _he knew _why _she thought he loved Violet, why she believed it would be better if she would leave him. She was so wrong though, and he would prove it to her.

He looked at the picture again, not able to stop a smile from forming on his lips when he saw her.

_Mommy's smile._

_Her _smile, her smile was the most beautiful one he had ever seen. It was bright, happy, kind… there were not enough words to describe it. Her smile… her smile was… Addison Forbes Montgomery. _That _was the only description. Everything about her was Addison, and that was what made her so damn special. She was a 100% real, nothing fake, nothing the same as someone else. She had her own style, her own voice, eyes, smile, laugh, hair… everything about her screamed 'Addison' and he would get back every piece of her. This time he wouldn't give up.

**A/N: So, that was it.:P I hope you liked it. It was quite long because there was so much I wanted to happen. It's not really everything that I wanted, but well, at least I uploaded it.:)**

**Push that button and make me happy!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know it's been quite a long time, but well, here's the second chapter with thanks to Satan-Wears-Prada for beta-ing.3**

**Hope you enjoy!**

~Cooper's POV~

Two full days had gone by since the night Addison had knocked on his door, since she had left Pete, and every day he saw her facial expression sadden and he knew she barely slept. She would already be sitting behind her desk, working, before Dell would come in and she would leave long after Dell had gone home. He knew what she was trying to do, and he knew he wasn't the only one that noticed. There were a lot of people that noticed, but half of them didn't talk to _her _or she didn't talk to _them. _He was afraid, actually, afraid she would leave. He knew she was a strong woman, but no person could go through all those things she had gone through alone. She had left Seattle for reasons he didn't know, but if she could leave Seattle because she wasn't happy there, surely she could leave LA too. It was obvious she wasn't happy.

It was logical too, because in a very short time she had lost a lot of people. She had lost Sam, because they suddenly had feelings for each other, feelings she didn't want to listen to. He wasn't even sure if she still loved Sam, maybe she loved both Sam _and _Pete… He _did _know she had lost one of her best friends in him, _and_ her best friend in his ex-wife, Naomi, the one that was supposed to stand by her side and comfort her in this time. He understood why Naomi had been upset with her. He just didn't understand why she still couldn't forgive her. They were best friends for God's sake, or at least they were supposed to be. And, last but not least, she had lost Pete and Lucas, two people he knew she loved _so _much. He couldn't understand how she could do it; leave the two people she might love the most to keep other people from hurting. He wouldn't be able to do it… she really was a very strong, extremely unselfish woman…

She was trying to do the right thing, he got that, but the problem was that it _wasn't_ right. She was just hurting herself and the people around her. Pete _wouldn't_ go back to Violet, because he _didn't_ love her in that way anymore so leaving Pete didn't help anyone, it just made her and Pete miserable because that they knew with who they really wanted to be. They'd realized they didn't want to be with Violet and Sam anymore, they couldn't be with each other either, just because she believed it was better that way. And of course there was Lucas. Pete didn't have to be with Violet to give Lucas a mother, they had given him a mother the minute Pete let Addison into their lives and Lucas was crazy about her. Of course Violet was his biological mother, but she hadn't acted like it and no matter how much he loved his best friend, she should be happy if she could get shared custody with Pete. He knew Pete, he knew he wouldn't go back, not just because he didn't love her like that anymore, but also because he was mad, done with it. In his eyes, she had made the biggest mistake she possibly could and he _wouldn't _forgive her that. But Addison didn't know that, no matter what her reasons were… it was just wrong this way, even if it was the 'right' thing to do.

Addison didn't see all those things. She didn't see that it _wasn't _the 'right thing to do' because if it was, it shouldn't hurt everybody. When someone did the right thing it was so that nobody got hurt, but now that almost everybody did, it was obvious it _wasn't _the right way. But instead of realizing that, Addison just tried not to think about it and buried herself in her work to achieve that. He could understand that, but there would come a day that wouldn't help anymore and what would she do then? She couldn't keep hiding and running away, she had to learn how to fight.

But as he walked towards his office and looked inside hers, seeing her sit in her chair, he knew she didn't have the energy to fight. It was only then that he noticed a familiar person staring at her through the window, her hand on the glass in desperation. He hadn't even known she was back, but there she was, staring at her best friend with a sad but confused expression on her face and he stopped walking. He slowly shifted his gaze to the woman inside, taking in her loveable but worn-out features and the tired and sad expression on her face and he knew they needed each other. But nothing was easy and he understood them both. He got that it was hard for Naomi to forgive her. She had ignored Addison for the past few weeks and he knew why. He didn't know what had exactly happened between the two, but he knew it was because of Sam. He didn't know everything that had been said, but he knew it had hurt Addison, he had seen it every time the two had been confronted with each other.

He had seen it in the look that had crossed Addison's face every time she had looked at Naomi, pained and disappointed. He had seen it when she had tried to talk to her friend. He knew Naomi well enough to know she had wanted to forgive Addison for everything and hug her, but he also knew her well enough to know she couldn't. Because Naomi wasn't mad at _her_, she was mad at _herself_. Mad because she hadn't noticed, because she didn't know _when _it had started. Before she would be able to forgive Addison, she had to forgive _herself_. She had to find peace with the situation. But he also knew Addison, and he knew the problem that would inevitably appear. It wouldn't be long until Addison would be strong enough again to put up her walls. As soon as that would happen nobody would see a single tear, nobody would see a sad expression on her face again. She would act like nothing was wrong, like she was _over _Pete and Lucas. Of course that wouldn't be true, but she would deny it.

He couldn't let that happen, because that meant everything would be lost. So, he decided to make Naomi aware of his presence, because he had to push her.

"Hey." He started, causing her to jump and turn to him, a surprised expression on her face.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, looking at her knowingly.

She looked guiltily at him. "I was just… I just…" She started, pointing at the woman in the office behind her.

He smiled a small smile at her and walked closer, looking at the woman inside the office for a moment, subconsciously letting his expression sadden. "That's not what I meant…" he told her, pausing for a moment to just look at his sad friend who didn't even notice them. "I didn't mean 'What are you doing outside her office on the wrong floor?', I meant 'What are you doing? Why are you not comforting your _best friend_?' I know she hurt you by falling in love with Sam, but you know as well as anyone that that's not her fault. You can't stop love, Naomi," he told her, still staring at Addison.

"I _know _that," she replied. "But I just can't go in there. I want to, but I can't. You have no idea how much I want to hug her, but I just don't know what to believe anymore. I don't even know how long this has been going on! Months? Or years?" she explained to him, unshed tears evident in her voice. "I love her to death, but I just… I can't."

He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Somewhere deep down you must know it hasn't been going on for years," he spoke. "I mean, come on. Sam loved you so much and he still does. Addison's heart has belonged to a couple of men, not just Sam's, and right now, it again belongs to another man. This only started a couple of months ago and it's already over again, Naomi. At least for her it is." He continued, pointing his head towards Addison.

Naomi sighed deeply, her eyes tired. "I just don't know what to believe anymore… who to trust."

He cocked his head, getting her full attention. "If you can't trust your own gut, trust your _heart,_ like you always have…"

Naomi looked at Addison again, away from him. "What happened that made her so sad?" she asked, finally voicing the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since she had seen the state her best friend was in.

"You don't know yet?" he asked surprised. "Hasn't anybody told you?"

She looked at him shyly. "I haven't seen anyone yet. I came here as soon as I came in."

He looked at her triumphantly but decided not to comment on it. "So you also haven't seen Pete yet?"

She raised her eyebrows in confusion. "No… why? What happened?" she asked him impatiently.

"Right." He started, smiling apologetically at her. "Well, only two days ago they were still a happy family. Two people that had come to love each other and a baby that made the picture complete. Then…Violet came back. It was different from what anyone had expected, because she was not only back, she was also healed, which meant she wanted Pete and Lucas back…" he told her, pausing when he saw her surprised expression. "Yeah, you missed a lot." He chuckled.

"What? But how…" Naomi started.

He nodded furiously at her. "I know, right. I mean, I love Violet, she's my best friend. But I don't understand her…" he agreed with her. "Anyway, the night Violet came back she immediately went to Pete's, expecting him to be there alone with their son. But when she got there, she found that little family. Addison, thinking she was doing the right thing - I don't know _how_ she got _that_ idea - told Pete he had to be with Violet instead of with her. So she left him and Lucas and drove away, expecting he would go after Violet. And, she then came to me."

"To you?" Naomi interrupted him, a surprised expression on her face.

"Yeah, well, It's not like she had a lot of choices left… She obviously couldn't go to Sam or Violet, which also ruled out Charlotte. She had just _left_ Pete and _you_ wouldn't talk to her. So, she came to me, devastated," he told her, trying his best to keep the accusing tone out of his voice. He couldn't help but blame her a little, though; she was supposed to be the person that should've been there for Addison that evening.

"Addison is not the kind of woman that cries over a lot of things…" He started again.

"No…" Naomi shook her head as she looked at her best friend. "She isn't."

"But that night she did," he told her bluntly, causing her head to shoot up. "She slept at my place that night and I _heard _her. I know she didn't sleep more than two hours, and the other nights after that one were probably exactly the same. From that day on she started burying herself deeper and deeper in her work and that's how she came here, with that defeated expression and those slumped down shoulders. Now, can you tell me again you can't go in there for your friend's sake?" he asked her, knowing he had won as he saw her expression had saddened once again.

Naomi turned to him, not looking into the office anymore. She just looked at him for a moment, pondering over the question, and when she was about to answer the door to Addison's office opened and the woman in question walked out, a file in her hand. As she noticed them she stopped, glancing at Naomi for a moment but not trying to ask for forgiveness, like she had given up. She then turned her attention to him, her facial expression not changing a bit during the event.

"Hey, Coop, here's that file you asked for," she told him, handing him the file.

"Oh, yeah, thanks." Cooper smiled at her. She smiled back a smile they all knew was fake and nodded at them before walking towards the kitchen.

"You see, this is exactly what I was talking about. I asked for this file when I called to check on her _last night_. She told me she still had to write the damn thing, which means she wrote it this morning. It's just nine o'clock," he told her with a sad voice as he checked his watch. "And don't even get me started on that obviously fake smile."

"I see." Was all that Naomi said as she stared after her best friend. It was enough though, because now he at least knew he had gotten through to her.

There were so many more things he wanted to tell her, but he knew it wasn't his to tell. She had to go talk to Addison, maybe also Pete. He had to get her to understand there had to be something done. She was the last one that would be able to help because she could get through to Addison, to her best friend. They had to get them back together. It was the best for everyone.

**A/N: You know what you've got to do now.:)**

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